ChargEVC-NJ letter to Governor Murphy urging the State to adopt Advanced Clean Cars II rule
Dear Governor Murphy,
The membership of ChargEVC-NJ urges New Jersey to adopt the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation by December 2023 and to immediately start the formal stakeholder process to propose these regulations by this coming April. Adopting ACCII this calendar year is necessary to rank your Administration as a climate leader and to ensure New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan goal that all new passenger vehicle sales should be electric by 2035 and achieve the statewide goal to reduce climate pollutants by 50% by 2030.
On August 25, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved ACC II, which requires manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of new zero-emission cars and light-duty trucks, with 100% of new vehicle sales being zero-emission vehicles in 2035. ACC II is a hugely impactful step, accelerating the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads, reducing emissions from the transportation sector—the largest source of greenhouse gas and health-impacting emissions in New Jersey—and incentivizing the placement of these vehicles in environmental justice communities disproportionately impacted by vehicle pollution. New Jersey has already opted into CARB’s prior version of its clean car standards in 2004, and the state should adopt this new set of standards.
In line with ACC II, ChargEVC-NJ set a goal for New Jersey to achieve 100% of all new light-duty sales and leases to be plug-in EVs by 2035 in our ChargEVC-NJ Roadmap 2.0. This goal is an increase over the current goals established in New Jersey’s 2020 Electric Vehicle (EV) Law, requiring 85% new light-duty EV sales by 2040. The Roadmap’s goals align with the automotive industry, which is committed to the transition to ZEVs, with major auto companies such as General Motors, Ford, and Volvo already committed to 100% electrification and releasing an increasing number of EVs. Moreover, this goal aligns with New Jersey’s own clean energy goals: in your administration’s Energy Master Plan, the 2019 Global Response Warming Act, and our commitments as a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance.
Also important, when New Jersey adopts ACC II, it will signal to the market that the state is committed to transitioning to EVs and will help ensure that these new vehicles are available to New Jersey customers. Automakers are more likely to send EVs to states that have adopted the Clean Car regulations than to states that have not. Failure to adopt the ACC II regulations in 2023 will likely mean that drivers won’t have access to EVs in the New Jersey market and will have to travel to neighboring states to purchase the vehicles they want, taking vehicle sales out of the state. To keep sales in New Jersey, the state must adopt the regulations as soon as possible.
Several automakers have already made supportive statements in favor of the rule, and Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York adopted these regulations in 2022. Currently, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, and Rhode Island are moving forward with adoption in 2023. The talk at the national level has been “where is New Jersey?” for which we have no good explanation. New Jersey should be on this list, adopting the complete ACCII regulations and solidifying its place as a national climate leader.
It is also important to note that adopting ACC II is a necessary but not sufficient step to ensure our climate goals and improved health for all New Jersey residents. Additional policies and programs will be needed to support a complete transition to a clean transportation future. The federal funding that The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program provides for a statewide build-out of EV charging stations is a good start but won’t be sufficient for the state’s needs. New Jersey needs to further support the build-out of charging infrastructure throughout the state and, of crucial importance, ensure the grid manages the additional electric load to the benefit of all electric customers.
Given that ACC II requirements ramp up incrementally over time, there is time for the state to develop a path forward to facilitate a robust charging infrastructure network in tandem with the regulations. Given the significant investment, adopting ACC II will signal to the private market that New Jersey is committed to a zero-emission future and will likely stimulate additional private investments.
ChargEVC-NJ strongly supports New Jersey opting into this new regulation committing New Jersey to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. As such, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection should propose the regulation and host stakeholder meetings as soon as possible. Notably, the regulatory process must start by April 2023 to ensure the adoption of the regulation by December.
We are urging the Murphy Administration to follow the lead of other leading northeast states and make ACC II a top priority for the state in 2023.
Sincerely,
Pam Frank
CEO, ChargEVC-NJ